Figure toy



1. c. LACKEY FIGURE TOY. AEPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 1921.

Patented July 25;, 1922.

2 SHEETS SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

J. C. LACKEY.

FIGURE TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I921.

1,423,6l 8 Patented Jul 25, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

,ATTORNEYS.

JOSEPH C. LAGKEY, 0F LONG BRANCH, NEW JERSEY.

FIGURE TOY.

LetZEAiiS.

Application filed Jittareh 2, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Josie-PH (l. LAC/KEY, citizen of the United States, and a resident of Long Branch, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Figure Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to articulate figure toys .in which the various parts of the toy are relatively movable or adjustable so that the figure may be made to simulate different natural positions of an animal or other figure which the toy represents.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which is instructive as well as amusing and which serves to exercise and develop a childs ingenuity, artistic and constructive faculties and powers of observation; to provide a toy embodying novel features 01 construction and comprising a plurality of parts adapted to be arranged and connected together in diiferent relations so as to repre sent different figures or objects; to provide a toy including a plurality of series ofmembers, each of said series comprising a plurality or members similar to each other but different from themembers of the others of said series, said members being adapted to be arranged and detachably connected together to form different figures or objects; to provide an articulate figure toy the parts of which. are formed of substantially fiat material rectangular in cross-section; to provide a figure toy having an improved body portion formed of a plurality of pivotally connected members whereby the members may be swung in relative angular positions to simulate natural positions of animals or the like which-the toy represents; to provide a toy having such a jointed body portion constructed of a pair of similar spaced and. parallel sections each comprising a pair of differently shaped members, the said members of the respective sections being reversely arranged and pivotally connected at their adjacent ends so that one of the mem bers of each section overlaps the joint between the members of the other section to reeniorce the said pivotal connection against lateral strains; to provide a body portion for a toy comprising a pair of spaced sections whereby the leg, neck, and tail portions may be connected'between the said sec- Speeifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, Serial no. 449,084.

,tionsor exteriorly thereof to efl'ectively confor a figure toy comprising a pair of similar shaped disk-like members adapted to be pivotally connected to the body portion: to provide an improved construction of a nose which can be applied either between said head members parallel thereto or exteriorlv of one of said members at substantially right angles thereto; to provide an improved simple ear construction for the figure, and to obtain other results and advantagesas may be brought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings. in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a toy construction in accordance with my invention;

Figure Qis a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure {l is a front elevation of the.toy with the. parts arranged. to produce a different figure;

Figure 5 is a side view partially in section and partially ,inelevation of the toy shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of the parts of the toy arranged to represent an elephant;

Figure 7 is a sideelevation on a reduced scale showing the parts of the toy arranged to produce another fan'cifulfigure;

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the links which serve to form the legs, arms, ortail of the figure or animal represented by the-toy;

Figure 9 is a similar view of another-form of said links;

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the members which represents the foot orhands of the figure;

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of.

one: ofthe eye-forming members;

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of one of the ear members, and

Figure 13 is a top plan view of a cart or truck adapted to support the toy and enable it to be drawn about by a child.

In the embodiment of the invention shown on the drawin s, the numerals 1 designate the members of one series of body members,

and the numerals 2 themembers of the other series of body members, the said members being substantially flat and of rectangular crosssection. The members 1 are substantially oval in shape and have an enlarged arcuately curved convex end 3, while the members 2 are provided with arcuately curved concave ends at of substantially the same radius as the ends 3 of the members 1 to receive the said ends 3 of the mem bers 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.

In constructing one type of figure toy, such as shown in Figures 15 inclusive, the body portion of the figure comprises two sections A each of which is formed of one each of the members 1 and 2, the said men here 1 and 2 of the respective sections A being reversely arranged and pivotally connected by a bolt 5 arranged at substantially the center of the curved ends 3 and a of the members to a reenforcing strip 6 arranged between the sections A as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The member 2 of one section A may be rigidly connected to the corresponding member 1. of the opposite section A by means of bolts 7 passing through washers 8 arranged between the sections A, or this connection may be made by bolts which are utilized to connect the leg, arm, or tail portions of the figure toy to the body portion, The reenforcing strip 6 extends 1on gitudinally of the body portion and is rig- 1dly connected thereto by the bolt 5 and another bolt 9 and one end thereof projects outwardly beyond one end of the body portion to receive the head portion B of the toy.

This head portion B is shown in Figures 15 inclusive as formed of two circular disks 10 of substantially the same size which are pivotally connected at their centers upon opposite sides of the projecting end of the reenforcing strip 6 by a bolt 11, andwhen so arranged a nose member 0' may be arranged between the disks 10 to project therefrom to simulate the nose of the figure. This nose member is provided with a substantially square end 1.2 adjacent which is provided a transversely extending slot 13, and the nose is adapted to be attached be tween the disks by means of a bolt 14 passing throiwh the disks and the slot 13 in the nose mem er. The outer sides of the disks 10 may be painted to represent the mouth of the figure represented by the toy, and for the purpose of providing a representation of eyes I preferably utilize a washer member or button 15 adapted to be detachably secured to the disks 10 by tacks or like memhere 16. The cars of the figure may be formed of similar shaped pieces 17 of leather, fabric, or the like, as clearly shown in Figure 12, which may be folded longitudinally and secured to the edges of the disks 10 by suitable fastening members such as tacks 18.

F or the purpose of forming representations of legs and tails for the figure toy, I utilize one series of similarly shaped links 19 which have one end thereof rabbetted at 20 to pivotally receive one end of other links 21 of another series of links which have both ends rabbetted at 22 similar to the end 20 of the links 19. The links 19 thus conveniently serve as thigh portions of the legs, the thicker ends thereof being adapted to be pivotally attached exteriorly of the body portion by the bolts 7, while the other ends of the said links are adapted to be pivotally connected by other bolts in a halvedtogether relation to one end of any of the links 21. The foot or hand members com prise relatively short strips 23 provided with rabbetted portions 24 at one end thereof, the said members being of substantially the same configuration as the members 19, and being adapted to be attached to the rubbetted ends of either the links 19 or 21. The tail portion of the figure may be formed of a plurality of the links 21 pivotally connect ed, as shown in Figures 1--3 inclusive, one end of one of the links being also connected to the body portion by a suitable bolt.

With this construction it will be seen that the body portion of the figure may be bent to pro uce various angular relations be tween the members 1 and 2 to simulate nat' ural positions of the animal or figure represented by the toy, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and that the reenforcing strip 6 and the overlapping relation of the adjacent ends of the members 1 and 2 of the respective sections A effectively reenforce the body portion against lateral strains which would tend to break or crack the same at the pivotal connection. The head portion B be rotated about the pivot'bolt 11 to cause the same to assume various positions relative to the body portion and the nose member C and eyes are also, adjustable to produce different expressions on the face of the figure. The ears 1.7 can be placed at any desired position on the edges of the disks 10 which also assist. in changing the expression of the figure. The legs and tail of the figure being formed of a plurality of pivotally connected members may also be adjusted to assume various relations with the body portion, and the sections A of the body portion being maintained in spaced relation enable the legs, arms, or tail to be applied to the body portion either exteriorly of the same as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or between the sections A as shown in Figures 4- and 5.

In such figures as shown in Figures 4 and 5 where the arm or leg members are connected between the sectionsA of the body portion the washer members 8 may be omitted, and in such a construction the parts of the toy may be arranged to represent a bipedal figure instead of a quadrupedal figure as shown in Figures 1-3 inclusive. For the purpose of enabling the tail portion of the figure to be attached to the body portion transversely thereof I utilize-a member 25 secured between the sections-of the body portion by a bolt and having abifurcated end 26 projecting outwardly from the body portion adapted to receive one end of one of the links 19 or 21. The nose member C may, where desired as in figures such as shown in Figures 4 and 5, be attached to the outside of one ot the head disks 1 0 so as to project at right angles thereto. For this purpose the bolt 11 is passed through a longitudinal opening 27 in the square end of the nose member C, and the nut of the bolt is positioned within the slot 13.

It is desirable to provide some means-for supporting the figures in an upright position and also for enabling the same to be drawn over a fioor, and for this purpose I provide a truck or cart D mounted on wheels 28 and having a plurality of spaced slats 29 providing therebetween slots 30 so arranged that the foot portions of the figures such as shown in Figure 1 and 2 may be frictionally forced intothe slots 30 so as to hold the toy in an upright position. Such a figure as shown in Figure 4 is mounted on the cart by frictionally forcing the foot portions thereof into one of the slots 30, as shown in Figure 5.

It will thus be seen that the toy comprises a plurality of seriesof members each of said series comprising a plurality of members similar to each other, and that by different arrangements of the said members different figures or objects may be constructed. While I have described the disks 110 as head members, it will be understood that in some figures such as that shown in Figure 6 one of the body members 2 may be utilized as a head. Also in some figures one or-both of the body members 1 or 2 may be utilized as the body, for instance as shown in Figure 6 in which only the body members 1 are utilized or as shown in Figure 7 where only the body members 2 are used. It will thus be seen that a great variety of figures and objects can be constructed with the parts of my toy, and that the development of these various figures will serve to develop the originality, artisticand constructive faculties and the powers of observation of the child using the same. While I have shown conventional bolts for connecting the various parts of the toy, it will be understood that any other fastening means may be used which will produce sufficient friction between the parts to maintain them in the various positions in which it is desired to place the same.

While I have shown and described one possible embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention only, and that many modifications and changes can be made in the detail construction thereof without. departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention. Therefore, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself except as required by the following claims when construed. in the light of the prior art. a

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A figure toy including a body portion formed of a pair of parallel sections each comprising a pair of members arranged end to end, the inner end of one member of each section overlapping the inner end of the member at the opposite end of the other section, astrip arranged longitudinally between said sections movable with one pair of ad jacent members of said sections and overlapping the joints between said members, and pivotal means extending through the said strip and the inner ends of the members at opposite ends of said sections.

2. A-figuretoy having a body portion formed of a plurality of similar sections each of which comprises a pair of substantially longitudinally alined'members one of which is formed with an arcuately curved convex end and the other-of which is formed with a correspondingly curved concave end to receive said convex end of the first-mentioned member, the said members of each of said body sections being arranged reversely to the members of the adjacent section, a strip arranged between adjacent sections and overlying the joints between the members thereof, and means "for pivotally connecting the abutting ends of the members of all of said sections at the centers of the respective curved ends thereofeiitending through said strip.

3. A figure toy having a body portion formed of a plurality of similar parallel sec tions each of which comprises a plurality of differently shaped members arranged end to end, the said members of one section being reversely arranged to the members of the adjacent section, and means for pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of said meminto the same angular relation with each other.

5. A figure toy having a body portion formed of a plurality of similar parallel sections each of which comprises a plurality of differently shaped members arranged end to end, the said members of one section being reversely arranged to the members of the adjacent section, and meansfor pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of said members, the end of one of the members of each of said sections overlapping the corresponding end of the corresponding member of adjacent sections to reenforce the said pivotal connection of the members against lateral strains and maintain the members of each section in longitudinal alinement.

6. A figure toy having a body portion formed of a plurality of similar parallel sections each of which comprises a plurality of differently shaped members arranged end to end, the said members of one section being reversely arranged to the members ofthe adjacent section, means for rigidly connecting the adjacent members of said sections, and means for pivotally connecting the abutting ends of the members of all of said sections.

7. A figure toy having a body portion formed of a plurality of similar sections each of which comprises a pair of substantially longitudinally aligned members one of which is formed with an arcu'ately curved convex end and the other of which is formed with a correspondingly curved concave end to receive said convex end of the first-mentioned member, the said members of each of said body sections being arranged reversely to the members of the ad jacent section, and means for pivotally connecting the abutting ends of the members of all of said sections at the centers of the respective curved ends thereof.

8. A figure toy including a body portion having a projection thereon, a substantially circular disk-like head portion, and means for pivotally connecting said head portion at substantially its center on said projection whereby the head portion may be revolved upon said pivotal means. i

9. A figure toy including a body portion having a projection at one end thereof, a head portion comprising a pair of similar shaped disk-like members arranged upon opposite sides of said projection, and pivotal means transversely arranged with respect to said disk-like members for connecting the same to said projection on the body portion whereby said members can be-revolved upon sa'idpivotal'means. j

10. In a figure toy, the combination with a head portion having a transverse opening therein, of a nose member having a trans verse opening therethrough and a longitudinal opening extending from one end of said member and intersecting said transverse opening, said openings being adapted to receive a fastening member for securing the nose member to said head portion at an angle to the side thereof.

11. In a figure toy, the combination with a head portion having an opening in the periphery thereof and a transverse opening theret-hrough, of a nosemember havin a transverse opening therethrough and a ongitudinal'opening extending from one end of said member and intersecting said transverse opening, said nose member being adapted tobe secured in said openingin the periphery of the head portion substantially in the plane thereof or attached to one side of said head portion at an angle thereto, and a fastening member adapted to pass through said openings in the nose member to secure the same to the head portion in either of said positions.

Josnrrr o. LiioKnY. 

